Connecting the Pieces
by Classy Whale
Summary: A modern Comedy of Errors retelling featuring international adoption. Almost immediately after their arrival in Washington DC, strange things begin to happen to twins Kara and Hazel. Neither of them are prepared for the truth behind the strange occurrences.


**Hey all! This is my first fanfic on this site and I'm super excited to share it with you. The story you're about to read is based on both Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors and The Parent Trap, as well as a lot of stuff I've learned about adoption while researching for my original work. I am aware that parts of this story are unrealistic and/or different from the original Shakespeare; it's not meant to be taken too seriously.**

Even before her twin sister was suddenly unable to recognize her, Kara was having an interesting day.

Kara Aziel, age 14, had grown up in a very interesting family. Her father, an unmarried professor of Asian history at a university in southern California, had long been fascinated with Chinese history and culture. When Kara was two years old she and her twin sister Hazel had been adopted from a rural orphanage in Changsha, China, near an archeological dig which their father had been working at.

Seeing as the girls' father wasn't always on top of things when it came to parenting, his mother, who had been a key part of the girls' upbringing herself, begged him to find someone to marry. He usually gave her the excuse that he was too busy, or simply didn't want to.

Between Kara and Hazel, Kara was taller, and she usually did the talking for both of them. Hazel, about half a head shorter than her sister, was the quiet one, and she shared her father's absent-mindedness. They were both musically talented; Kara played the flute while Hazel preferred the violin. Other than the occasional trip related to their father's job, they lead a fairly normal life.

Normal, that is, until the day that December when their father had been asked to speak at a conference in Washington, DC. Excited for the trip, the girls' father took every opportunity to teach them about the history and geography of the capital city, something Kara found interesting, while Hazel forced herself to listen politely. The day of the trip finally arrived, and the flight east went smoothly. Exhausted from a day of traveling, the girls' and their father checked into the Capitol Hill Hotel and quickly found their room.

Since it was still light out, Kara and Hazel tried to think of something to do to kill time. Since the Library of Congress was only about a block away from the hotel, their father gave them permission to visit it, on the condition that they be back in two hours. Eager for the chance to stretch their legs, the girls left the hotel, walking down the busy sidewalk towards the library.

Right after they left the building, the light drizzle that had been falling since they had arrived suddenly increased its strength, becoming a heavy downpour.

"Oh snap." Hazel ducked under the awning outside a Greek restaurant. "I don't want to walk in weather like this."

"Come on Haze," Kara said, dryly. Her sister could be such a wimp sometimes.

"But I'll get so wet..."

Kara crossed her arms and stared unsympathetically at her sister.

"Seriously! I can't stand it when it's like this! It's never like this at home."

"Well that's why we got raincoats before coming here. Because it _is_ like this here. If you truly cannot stand it how about you run back and get yours?"

Hazel sighed. "I might as well." Trying to look brave, she cautiously ventured back out into the rain.

"Hang on a sec," Kara said, "Could you grab that bag of M+M's I got in the airport? I'll share them."

"Fine, fine." She walked off, and Kara stood under the awning waiting for her.

A few minutes later she appeared again. Not only had she put on a raincoat, but she had completely changed her outfit as well. This was no surprise – Hazel was crazily fashion-conscious.

"Hey," said Kara, "Got the M+M's?"

Hazel paused, and looked at Kara sideways.

"Why would I be getting you M+M's?"

Kara raised one eyebrow.

"You said you would!"

Hazel looked rather embarrassed. "Um...must've slipped my mind."

Kara sighed. This was Hazel being her typical self.

"Did you still want them?" Hazel asked.

"Nah, that's fine."

"Anyway, Mom is wondering where you've been...she sent me to see where you were."

Kara raised one eyebrow. " _Mom?_ "

"Yes, that's what she said."

"Come on, I just left!"

Hazel laughed. " _Just_ left? You've been gone for two hours!"

"Stop exaggerating."

"No, seriously! I wasn't keeping track of time, that's what _she_ said!"

Kara rolled her eyes. "You can be so ridiculous sometimes. If it would really help, go tell her I've barely had time to walk to the Library of Congress, let alone be out for two hours. And maybe double-check about the two hours figure. And the existence of this mother."

"Okay...um...if you say so..." Hazel started walking away.

"Hey, our hotel's _that_ way!" Kara said, pointing in the opposite direction.

"But I came from that direction..." Hazel pointed the opposite way.

"Whatever. Find your own way back; if you get lost don't say I didn't warn you."

"Okay..." Hazel, rather worried-looking now, left in the (wrong) direction of the hotel.


End file.
